I have yet to have my eyes done, but 2012 is the year of choice.
I would be very interested to hear how it goes which ever provider you choose,..
Hay everybody
Im looking to get laser eye surgery and have been to see ultralase and optical express and to be honest not much between them apart from the price so
im thinking of going to optical express.
Now my question is: I believe a few of you guys have the eyes done and just wondered if anybody has a discount voucher for optical express?
Tommy
I spent a long time looking into this (excuse the pun) and concluded that cost is the least significant factor in choosing where to have my eyes done.
First of all was individual operational success statistics, second was patient aftercare, and last on the list was cost.
I have yet to have my eyes done, but 2012 is the year of choice.
I would be very interested to hear how it goes which ever provider you choose,..
My son has inside information on customer satisfaction with these procedures apparently it varies a fair bit depending on the individual carrying out the procedure.
You could try bunging a U2U to Alex (omega0684) - he had this done recently and is still raving about it 
The advice I was given about it is to follow the instructions religously. That whole "be back in work that afternoon" is possible but (this is all apparently) they don't really recommend it. If you're really good with your aftercare it works well, the woman I talked to about it said her eyes are slowly getting better year on year. She also said it feels like an elephant's sitting on your eye, pressure but not painful.
I've worn glasses for over 45 years and no way, no how would I entertain having my eyes b*gg*r*d about with. They are the only ones I've
got. 
John.
I'm with John on this one. Glasses are a PITA, but they can be changed. I've been told that even if you have laser surgery, if you need
reading glasses, you need reading glasses, the surgery is only any good for single vision inpairment (i.e. long-sighted) but I don't know if they
were well informed or read it in a newspaper!
But one thing I do know, is that it CAN last for up to 10 years, but the older you get, the more rapidly your eyes deteriorate and I'm not sure
if they can do a second operation once they start to fail again?
Just my 2p worth 
John
A mate of mine at work had his eyes done at 40 (5 years ago) , He say's it was the best money he ever spent and only regret was not having it
done earlier in life ....
Take my hat off to people who have it done takes sum serious balls i think ....
I thought about this over thirty years ago and went to see a body at St. pauls Eye Hospital in Liverpool, then it was about £800 per eye, but if it
works, what the hell.
The guy that I spoke to said that some people suffer with irritation afterwords and there is nothing that they can do about it.
Having once had severe conjunctivitis, I decide not to gamble and stuck to bins ever since.
I assume things have come a long way since then but would want to ask some serious questions first.
[Edited on 10/12/11 by Confused but excited.]
quote:
Originally posted by DaddylonglegsI'm not sure if they can do a second operation once they start to fail again?
im at the grand old age of 26 so a little while till i need reading glasses.
I had it done at the Centre for Sight, which is attached to the Queen Vic Hospital in East Grinstead. They have a phenomenal first time success rate,
which finally swung it for me. They also do a lot of corrective surgery for those who have had a bungled laser surgery. This is definitely not
something you want to do twice. 5 years on and the results are still fantastic.
drop me a u2u if you want more details.
having worn glasses for 20 years and tried contact lenses....
unsuccessfully, i concidered laser surgery....
until a friend of mine whos the same age 38 had it done..
not sure what, but something went wrong and he is now registered blind.
ok he is looking at a good compo pay out, but he was a petrol head and has lost everything.....
glasses are a pain in the arse..... but better than being blind!!
my boss has had it done twice.
The first time they can use the laser to cut the eye bit, the second time they have to use the old school knife as the eye cover bit can only be done
once with the laser.
He's thinking of having it done a third time - which is approx every 10 years.
I had mine done (lasek) in 2002. I couldn't read a number plate from 20 feet , read a paper or watch tv without glasses before getting them done
but since then I have only needed glasses for reading.
Best money I have ever spent and I would do it again in future if I have to.
Nearly eight years since I had mine done and do not regret it on iota.
Went for a consultation with Ultralase as they had the best reputation and
the clincher was the offer of two years interest free credit shortly after.
I hope this doesn't offend anyone - but can the people that have had it done, post the severity of "repair" and the cost of the
operation please?
I would like to persuade my wife to have it done, but money is ever so tight and will be for another 6 to 12 months...
ATB
Steve
I looked into it once, and didn't mind the cost. I got especially nervous though, when they told me the odds of "failure", which were 100:1. Not very good!! I didn't go for it. For driving with a helmet, hockey, biking etc, I wear contacts, which only work for distance, but a nice change for the eyes sometimes.
had mine done by ultralase in london about 10 years ago, wasnt impressed with the after care, only contact i got was constant phone calls after the
numbers of friends i would recommend.
I was 38 when i had it done and it was perfect to start with but about 5 years later i was back to wearing specs. I spoke to my local optician and she
reckoned i should never have had it done as i was not a suitable candidate.
Dont forget that they are in this for the money not your best interest, get an opinion from an optician who will not be involved in the procedure to
check you are being given the whole truth!
Her indoors had it done last year with Optical Express.. she was blind as a bat before and on the drive home from the op could read number plates
better than me with my glasses on!
She had no bad experiences at all with it, no pain, no problems whatsover. Just did what they said with the drops etc and all was good.. At the yearly
check up she had two lines better than 20/20 !
I think she's got some vouchers somewhere if you still want one.... she also gets a cheque if she recommends someone who gets it done.
Snakebelly, that's the complete opposite of my experience of Ultralase.
I was also 38 and was advised by them I may need reading glasses after the op but that was
and still is not the case.
Cost me £2000 and has now paid for itself in contacts and glasses.
How graphic do you want Steve
The procedure itself was painless but a couple of unpleasant bits, the clamping of the eyelids wide
open being the first. Few drops of local and shrtly after came the bit I really didn't like, the cutting
of the corneal flap. "you'll feel a bit of pressure on your eye" they told me. Felt like a pastry cutter
being pushed through to the back of my head, so hard everything goes black.
You then see a needle approach and the flap is lifted, everything goes far more blurred than before.
You then have to stare at a fuzzy red dot whilst they start zapping with the laser. Bit of a burning
flesh smell but all over in 30 seconds. Quick rinse and the flap goes back.
The difference was immediate and startling Although it was like looking through a mist everything
was in focus.
Was given 3 bottles of drops for each eye to avoid cross contamination and clear glasses to wear
for three days and bug eye ones for night. Went back the following day for a check up and a week
later for the final one.
I ended up with 19/20 vision, can't quite read the bottom line with my right eye, but that one was
always weaker anyway. Full chart with left eye and both together. They offered free re-treatment
of the right but I declined, 19/20 I'm well happy with.
I am also interested in the costs.
Recently my HGV licence was withdrawn because my uncorrected eyesight was below the DVLA standard. Wearing lenses or specs my eyesight is
perfect but in order to meet the uncorrected standard I have no option but to have laser treatment.
Although many of the laser providers say that it can be done for £400 or so per eye, several people tell me that the real costs are much greater.
Personally I would prefer not to have my eyes messed with in this way but it seems like the only way I can get my HGV licence back (fortunately I
don't rely on it for my living).
Cheers,
John
[Edited on 11/12/11 by RACER101]
quote:
Originally posted by RACER101
I am also interested in the costs.
Recently my HGV licence was withdrawn because my uncorrected eyesight was below the DVLA standard. Wearing lenses or specs my eyesight is perfect but in order to meet the uncorrected standard I have no option but to have laser treatment.
Although many of the laser providers say that it can be done for £400 or so per eye, several people tell me that the real costs are much greater.
Personally I would prefer not to have my eyes messed with in this way but it seems like the only way I can get my HGV licence back (fortunately I don't rely on it for my living).
Cheers,
John
[Edited on 11/12/11 by RACER101]
My good lady had her eyes laser-treated 7 years ago here in Spain. (She was 49 at the time).
She'sd worn spec's as a kid and lenses from being a teenager. Her eyes had 'settled down,' ie had undergone no further
deterioration from her mid twenties, leaving her with minus 6 vision in one eye and minus 7 in the other. (That's 'jam-jar-bottoms' for
glasses territory).
She followed the instructions of the surgeon to the letter, (drops and all the other malarkey) and we both agree it's the best two grand we ever
spent. The whole procedure was over in a matter of minutes and I was amazed that she simply walked out of the surgery with no bandages or eye covering
whatsoever. (Her sight simply got clearer and clearer over the next few hours) Amazing stuff !
She went back several weeks later for a 'slight adjustment,' since her eyesight was too poor to do in one 'hit.' The upshot of
that was, that after counselling, she opted to have just one eye adjusted, with the result that she no longer needs glasses/lenses for driving or
reading.
Seven years down the line, she still says, "I just wish I'd've had it done earlier."
Our daughter's 20 and has inherited mum's poor eyesight. Her eye's are still deteriorating slightly year-on-year and her
lens-prescription is being strengthened. Once the decline's arrested, we'll get her eyes 'zapped' too. 
Bob.
quote:
Originally posted by Steve Hignett
I hope this doesn't offend anyone - but can the people that have had it done, post the severity of "repair" and the cost of the operation please?
I would like to persuade my wife to have it done, but money is ever so tight and will be for another 6 to 12 months...
ATB
Steve
I've been considering this for a while. I haven't yet met an ophthalmic surgeon who has had it done, and until I do I'm not going
to!
Complications seem to be unusual but potentially devastating, though most people seem to get a great result.
Also check with your clinic whether or not the operation is being done by a consultant surgeon who is on the specialist register.
Lots of reviews here: Check out the Forum pages:
http://www.lasik-eyes.co.uk/
dont watch final destination 5 then.
Just found this.
www.visionsurgeryrehab.org
Good luck whatever you decide.
hmm this seems odd, definately at odds with the dvla forms ive seen for patients, uncorrected eyesight has nothing to do with it. u can drive an f1
car with glasses.
anyone considering laser eye surgery, should do research into the 2 main procedures - lasik and lasek and ask which one your getting.
racer 101 perhaps your confusing yag laser treatment which is not a refractive procedure.
oh and don't think you've escaped glasses forever, at the age of 45-50 u'll need glasses to read
[Edited on 11/12/11 by mrwibble]
[Edited on 11/12/11 by mrwibble]
Get a second opinion whatever you decide to do.
Wife had hers done 18 years ago at Optimax
http://www.optimax.co.uk/
And she still has 20/20
ive decieded to go and have a chat with optimax as well to see what they can do for me
^^^ that sounds reassuring with regards to optimax
quote:
Originally posted by tomgregory2000
ive decieded to go and have a chat with optimax as well to see what they can do for me
^^^ that sounds reassuring with regards to optimax
IMHO, I would not let anyone bugger about with my eyes unless it was absolutely necessary.
If its a case of wear glasses or have laser eye surgery I would wear glasses (I do wear glasses for reading).
If its a case of its eye surgery or nothing sort of option, then its hobsons choice.
I would never let anyone touch my eyes unless it was a last restort solution.
I dont trust these companies, offering the best thing since sliced bread. They are in it for the Money, and not much else.
Having said that, I had a cattaract done earlier this year, and its made a fantastic difference. Glasses would not have fixed that.
Bottom Line is this:
You only get ONE PAIR OF EYES. Think long and hard about doing anything to them, that cant be fixed by external means, namely glasses or contact
lenses. If its for cosmetic reasons, ie you dont look COOL in glasses, then you are too vain!
Laser surgery is relatively new (lifespan wise) you dont know what effect it will have in 20 or 30 or 40 years time.
Sorry but its my 2d's worth.
No offence intended. Eyes are just TOO precious to mess around with.
The wife was in a car accident nearly 20 years ago. The crash didn't effect her eyes, but the settlement effected our pocket books. She used her
money to pay the portion our insurance wouldn't cover.
Now Deb had worn gasses since she was 4 years old, and when she had the old knife surgery her vision was -1300....legally blind and required a special
stamp on her drivers license.
She had the procedure done in 2 sessions, one for each eye, 2 weeks apart. That way she could take a 3 day weekend for each procedure and be able too
work, with 1 lens in her glasses for the period in between.
After the 1st sessions tension and apprehension the fact she could read street signs on the way home helped to make her more than willing to return
for the other eye.
Nearly 20 years later she only wears glasses when her eyes are tired, or to drive. The glasses have an anti-glare coating for night driving as the
procedure can give a slight halo effect around glare at night and the glasses eliminate that glare.
The original corrective eye procedures were developed in the USSR because the surgical correction saved a fortune for the health ministry by cutting
the expense of glasses. The original process was carried out on a 12 bed rotating table where each step was carried out at a different station on an
assembly line.
If the surgery isn't as close as they feel it should be, room is usually give to do a second corrective procedure to fine tune your vision.
If i needed the procedure to see, I would not hesitate to have it done.
quote:
Originally posted by RACER101
hmm this seems odd, definately at odds with the dvla forms ive seen for patients, uncorrected eyesight has nothing to do with it. u can drive an f1 car with glasses.
anyone considering laser eye surgery, should do research into the 2 main procedures - lasik and lasek and ask which one your getting.
racer 101 perhaps your confusing yag laser treatment which is not a refractive procedure.
oh and don't think you've escaped glasses forever, at the age of 45-50 u'll need glasses to read
[Edited on 11/12/11 by mrwibble]
[Edited on 11/12/11 by mrwibble]
quote:
Originally posted by mrwibble
quote:
Originally posted by RACER101
hmm this seems odd, definately at odds with the dvla forms ive seen for patients, uncorrected eyesight has nothing to do with it. u can drive an f1 car with glasses.
anyone considering laser eye surgery, should do research into the 2 main procedures - lasik and lasek and ask which one your getting.
racer 101 perhaps your confusing yag laser treatment which is not a refractive procedure.
oh and don't think you've escaped glasses forever, at the age of 45-50 u'll need glasses to read
[Edited on 11/12/11 by mrwibble]
[Edited on 11/12/11 by mrwibble]
Yup, I too thought it odd that uncorrected vision is an issue for the DVLA. For a car licence it doesn't matter but for a Lorry or Bus licence you must meet minimum standards for corrected vision in both eyes and if these are achieved by lenses or specs, then uncorrected visual acuity in each eye must be no less than 3/60.
I mistakenly assumed that uncorrected vision was irrelevant and then fell foul of the regulations when I had my 5 yearly HGV licence renewal medical earlier this year. Short of persuading my doctor & optician to lie on my behalf it seems that laser treatment is the only legal way to get my licence back.
Cheers,
John
[Edited on 11/12/11 by RACER101]
to be fair you must have a very strong prescription to be worse than 3/60? does seem very unfair, i wonder what the prescription limits are for
refractive surgery.
just for your information, a new technique developed from cataract surgery is available these days which might be worth considering, I know this does
cover very high Rxs, a chap who was over -10.00 DS (highest 2% of possible prescriptions) in our practice now only wears glasses for reading now.
[Edited on 12/12/11 by mrwibble]
[Edited on 12/12/11 by mrwibble]
I was about -4.00 in both eyes, and 3 years ago had surgery with Optimax in Brighton. I can't fault any of it, great consulation, gave me all the
options, advised me against the most expensive system as it was not necessary, I went with Lasik and it cost about £900 an eye.
The procedure was very weird but not painful, and I could see straight away afterwards, by the next morning my sight was perfect. It took about 6
months for night vision to be perfect, up till then there was a bit of ghosting, but nothing serious. I do struggle a bit in low light condition, dusk
and dawn, but again not very noticeable.
Optimax after care was excellent, and they've never hassled me to get them more customers.
I can't recommend it enough, wish I'd done it years before, always hated wearing glasses.
This is surprisingly mature technology - corrective eye surgery started in the 60s (not with lasers back then mind). It's worth bearing in mind that it's largely computer-controlled so it's very repeatable and reliable. 90%+ of results are exactly as predicted, and of the rest, 90%+ are merely "not quite as good as hoped for" not "worse than before".